General Dynamics' $9.6 billion acquisition of CSRA makes it one of the largest cybersecurity firms in the defense sector. Analysts say the move will pay off as the Pentagon increases its investment in cyberdefenses.

Aerospace Industries Association Vice President for Civil Aviation David Silver points out the Trump administration's proposed cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration and modernization programs. He says proposed funding levels for NextGen are "far below what is required for success."

Canada is showing a renewed commitment to NATO by rejoining the Airborne Warning and Control Systems program, a program Canada left in 2014. Belgium, meanwhile, says it will invest in NATO's tanker program.

Airlines for America, the Air Line Pilots Association and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association are calling on Congress to tighten regulations covering hobbyist drones following a documented close call with a passenger jet. "The likelihood that a drone will collide with an airline aircraft is increasing. By providing the FAA with the full authority to regulate all UAS operations, the safety of passenger and cargo flights will be protected," the groups said in a letter.

Top Defense Department leaders are asking Congress for flexibility in spending appropriations for 2018. "We have a year's worth of money adds in '18 and five months to spend it," Marine Corps Assistant Commandant Gen. Glenn Walters told lawmakers. "It might help if the appropriators can give us some flexibility, so we can spend '18 money in '19 and feather in the plan."

White House budget Director Mick Mulvaney says US security is more important than eliminating deficits. "I think the president takes deficits very clearly, but he also recognizes we live in a world where in order to get the funding that we needed for the Defense Department -- that we considered critical, and a priority of ours, we had to agree to higher non-defense discretionary levels than we would have liked," Mulvaney said.

White House budget plans would benefit Boeing and Lockheed Martin, according to an analysis by J.P. Morgan. "Digging into the available details, we think that plus-ups for key missile defense and legacy aircraft platforms make Lockheed Martin and Boeing early winners," analyst Seth Seifman writes.